Stiff freehub on new wheel

monkimark
monkimark Posts: 1,928
edited July 2014 in Workshop
Morning all,
looking for a bit of advice - I got a new set of wheels (kinesis crosslight CX) on Tuesday, fitted on Tuesday evening and out for the commute on Wednesday.

On the way home I went to set off from a set of lights and nearly fell on the floor in a dramatic an embarrassing fashion. Turns out the freehub body is so stiff that it didn't rotate backwards when I backpedalled slightly - the chain just slackened/bunched up.

I've read a few reports of this being a problem with new hubs that sorts itself out after a while just riding it. Anyone got any experience of that? It's probably only done about 15 miles so maybe it needs a bit more before it loosens up.
The wheel's at home for now so maybe I'll stick it on the turbo tonight and stick a few more miles on it before I contact the shop I bought it from.

Any tips or experience of similar issues would be appreciated.

ta,
Mark

Comments

  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,312
    Your hub is a rebadged Novatec, pretty easy to take into parts with 2 x 5 mm Allen keys, just open it up and find out what is wrong with it.
    left the forum March 2023
  • monkimark
    monkimark Posts: 1,928
    I did take the cassette off to do that but figured that if there is something wrong with it, I'd rather let the bike shop open it up and find out so they don't think I've bodged it up with ham fisted home mechanic skills.
  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,312
    So if you plan to take it to the shop, why are you opening a thread to ask for advice in the workshop section? :roll:
    left the forum March 2023
  • yakk
    yakk Posts: 589
    Hi there, I had a rebadged Novatec rear hub with the same problem, but not as bad. Turned out that (from new!) one of the bearings in the freewheel wasn't seated all the way in. Once that was done, it was sorted (not by me!).
    Yak
  • monkimark
    monkimark Posts: 1,928
    Ugo, my question was 'is this likely to sort itself out'. I'd rather not take it to the shop as it's not especially local to me.
  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,312
    monkimark wrote:
    Ugo, my question was 'is this likely to sort itself out'.

    If it's that severe, the answer is no
    left the forum March 2023
  • lapavoni10
    lapavoni10 Posts: 146
    are you running 11 speed? small sprocket is not running on frame (with hubs not meant for 11s, the small sprocket will just catch the frame)?
  • monkimark
    monkimark Posts: 1,928
    No, its not catching the frame, cassette is 10 speed (with relevant spacers). Plenty of clearance between the cassette & drop-outs. I've had the wheel out and its definitely a stiff freehub.
    I may have made it sound worse than it is, when moving I can backpedal OK but when stationary I can back pedal half a crank rotation without the cassette turning.

    Spoke to the bike shop and they reckon give it another quick ride to see if it loosens up (maybe a tight seal or similar?), otherwise the wheels will get returned at the weekend.
  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,312
    monkimark wrote:
    No, its not catching the frame, cassette is 10 speed (with relevant spacers). Plenty of clearance between the cassette & drop-outs. I've had the wheel out and its definitely a stiff freehub.
    I may have made it sound worse than it is, when moving I can backpedal OK but when stationary I can back pedal half a crank rotation without the cassette turning.

    Spoke to the bike shop and they reckon give it another quick ride to see if it loosens up (maybe a tight seal or similar?), otherwise the wheels will get returned at the weekend.

    When they moved to 11 speed freehubs, they dodn't really change the rest of the hub clearly. The temporary solution is to loosen up a bit the lock-caps... closed but not tihghtened, the long term solution is to fit bearings with more clearance. meaning more space between the balls and the races (C3 or similar) that should compensate
    left the forum March 2023
  • monkimark
    monkimark Posts: 1,928
    Thanks Ugo.
    I actually hadn't realised how simple the Novatec is to open up - no faffing with locknuts etc.

    Anyway, quickly opened it up at the weekend and as you pointed out, it's fine with the lock caps not wound up tightly but I'm not sure about that as a solution. I'll see if the bike shop fancy replacing the bearing races if that fixes it - I'm happy to fit them but I don't see why I should have to buy replacement bearing races for a brand new wheel.

    Need to have a proper look at it tonight with the assembly diagram but I'm wondering if there's a missing spacer or something - does anyone know what the model number is or even have an assembly diagram so I can check everythiung is present & correct?
  • arlowood
    arlowood Posts: 2,561
    Attached link has exploded diagrams for a range of hubs - you may be able to work out which is yours and examine the set up to see if there is anything amiss

    http://issuu.com/novatectaiwan/docs/nov ... _3in1_hubs

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